Indiana Jones and the Wheel of Time
by Rocket Surgeon
Summary: An adventure set during the time of Indy and Marion's first relationship.


**Please Review!!**

Indy shook his head, and for a moment he could have sworn he had become his father. He muttered inaudibly, "dad wouldn't have been as encouraging…"  
"What did you say?" came the voice that brought him out of his daydream…"Nothing kid," Indy said.  
"Well if you're not going to share your thoughts, maybe keep them to yourself," Marion snapped back.  
Indy wiped his grimy brow and looked over his shoulder in time to catch Marion finish saying, "old man".  
"What was that?" Indy asked. "Nothing" Marion replied sheepishly, a smirk coming over her face. Indy turned away and smiled as a familiar face popped out of a crevice not ten feet in front of him. A cracked and weathered face hinting at a lifetime of experience and understanding shook off dust and squinted at the intense sun. "Maybe you two should come down here out of the heat, I've had my first look around and it seems safe enough. I think I found a water source."  
That was all Marion needed to hear, she almost knocked Indy over getting to her father, laughing because she thought he looked like some kind of prairie dog poking out of his burrow. "Just a moment dear…my footing isn't the surest," Abner cautioned. "She's become quite the young lady Abner," Indy started. Marion shot him a curious look, mixed with suspicion. Indy smiled and finished, "she might just make a pretty fair Duchess of Richelieu." Abner chuckled, but quickly said, "Princess Alice was a remarkable young lady, and it's not wise to speak so of the dead."  
With her father below and Indy above, Marion tried to figure if Indy's remark was condescending. As she started through the breach, Indy grabbed her wrist and she looked into his eyes and she grabbed his. He was gruff and unshaven, that fedora of his broke the sunlight and her expression softened as she noticed his. He smiled slightly, almost like he knew what she was thinking. How could he though? She looked down to find her footing, but looked back once more. He wasn't the same boy from her father's class back in Chicago.  
"Your Highness?"  
"What?" Marion said. "Your Highness, it's rather hot up here… if you wouldn't mind?" Indy broke her day dreaming this time. Marion smiled sure again that he could read her mind…"I'm going, I'm going".

The change was immediate and relieving, the cavern was thirty degrees cooler and the promise of cool water was almost as enticing as the artifacts they believed would justify all they had sacrificed to get here. As their eyes adjusted to the dark  
the cavern itself was a wonder, a handful of roughly hewn corridors led away from every direction. It was the perfect time of day to witness the beauty of the room they had descended into. The size of nine classrooms maybe more, was visible by way of dozens of openings like the one they had uncovered. Streams of light crossed and danced off marbled veins of brilliant gem like stones which refracted the intense desert sunshine into hypnotic dancing rainbows.  
The openings in the ceiling had turned the desert winds into a soft whistling unearthly song and they forgot their thirst as they marveled at this natural beauty. "It's so beautiful," Marion remarked as she turned to take in every bit she could. Indy was taken from his vision, not by Marion's words, but by the way she said it. Simple words they were, but said with such awe and reverence, it was then he first thought of Marion as more than the thick skinned daughter of his adopted father. As he turned his attention to her he marveled at her face…he could read her mind. Her visage said so many things at once and he stopped a moment, remembering his own wonder becoming aware of his own feelings. It was happiness, out in this desert, this haven under such expansive desolation.  
"Remarkable, isn't it?" Abner broke their meditations. Indy turned to Abner, his face markedly humbled…he never remembered Abner smiling quite like he was. Marion hadn't seen him like this in sometime. As quickly as they noticed, he broke and began a lengthy dissertation on the properties of such stones which quickly reminded them they were thirsty.  
"Doc, DOC" Indy said as he reached out to Abner, grasping his shoulder, "you said something about a water source?" He turned to Marion; she had past to the far side of the cavern and was hunched over something. " Dad is it this one?" she asked. Indy heard Abner's unique manner of saying a simple yes, someday he might even tell me where it comes from, "crazy old man" he muttered. She was looking at a small hole barely visible by the edge of the passage, it was percolating. With raw efficiency, Indy had a torch lit from Abner's pack and started down the passage. They could hear Abner calling to them that he had seen no bones, but if there was water out here there were bound to be animals as well.  
"When you really want something you don't hesitate at all do you?" Marion asked and much as she stated it. Indy was, at the moment a man of few words, "he who hesitates…" and he didn't finish. Marion did,"…is lost, just make sure that isn't us." Indy stopped, put his hand out. Marion immediately tensed, "What?" She gasped. Indy turned to face her in the torch light and asked, "don't you trust me?" She didn't need to answer, her look said it all…that mixture of relief, this time with peppered with scorn. "Look Jones", she started to say but he cut her off. "Shh" Indy said as he put a finger to his lips, do you hear that?

"Hear what?" Marion shot back, realizing she was only inviting…"SHHH" Indy commanded as he furrowed his brow. They both crouched in the flickering torch light; they were tired, worn from the heat and starting to feel sluggish. "It's a couple of things," Indy started, "Water…". Marion smiled at the thought of every kind of water she could remember, creeks to waterfalls, the Illinois Central refrigerated cars loaded with ice and strawberries! Her smile faded as she heard Jones say, "and someone, more likely something else."  
The gem veins marbled through the entrance ran through the passage as well and at times the torch touched them off. Marion was a tough little girl; she was smart enough to get herself into trouble and as a result learned to use her fists. Indy understood this about her, and however different he would have her be, Indy didn't just know Marion…he understood her. The similarities often brought misunderstood smiles to his face. He watched the prisms dance off her eyes and new she could handle herself…if need be. "Come on, let's get something to drink", Indy said shirking off his misgivings.  
They came upon another large room similar but larger than the room they left Abner. There was light from a few points in the vaulted ceiling…shimmering off the water. "Umm Al-Maa", Indy murmured. Marion said Mother what? Indy was impressed, " Mother of Water" he said. We've been walking in the extensive system of water channels, aqueducts, dams, cisterns and reservoirs-the remains of which are found throughout the ancient…" Indy stopped, Marion was already drinking deeply. Indy laughed a slight laugh, half coughed and joined her. Their clothes had dried completely of perspiration. Marion gave Indy a sideways look and removed her white blouse. Indy started to object but held his words. Marion's blouse was quickly submerged and replaced and she noticed him feigning averted eyes. "Grow up Jones" Marion said without a hint of derision, almost enjoying the irony. Indy tugged at the front of his Fedora, "How old are you anyway?"  
Marion shot relied sternly, "I'll be seventeen by the time we get back home…I can already drive a car better than you." "Home" Indy muttered… That's a bad habit you've got there Indiana," Marion said. Indy replied, "Huh?" "Muttering, I'm trying not to take it personally" Marion said. "Sorry Marion, I sometimes think out loud," Indy confessed, "you need to stop hanging around old men and dead civilizations." "Jones, when I complain…you'll know it." Indy lifted his head a bit, turning it towards Marion and she sat before him, her voice, her posture, her words were not those of a child. He felt an odd rush of discomfort, some new feeling he was unaccustomed to and as he held on to it he realized Marion was no child. Marion had left childish things behind many, many years ago. She had become her own person and the way she was looking at him now made HIM uncomfortable.

She tilted her head slightly and Indy became aware he was watching her hair fall softly over her right shoulder. Her hand still flat on the ground was now touching his. "Marion" Indy whispered. "Indy", Marion replied. She was beautiful, fresh, strong willed, intelligent…all these things raced through his head. They could read each other's minds…there was no secret. It seemed like an eternity of longing and working out reasons why. "Maybe if I wasn't so…" Indy started, but Marion wouldn't let him say it. "I'm not asking you to change Indy even if you could…do I have to tell you…  
Marion couldn't finish, Indy's eyes widened and then furrowed. Marion's puzzled look left as soon as it came, "the something else you heard?" Indy nodded in affirmation. A ragged jackal emerged from the shadows. "Whatever you do, do it slowly Marion…it's a wild dog" Indy cautioned. Marion turned too fast and the animal bared its teeth and started a long low snarl. "Maybe it's just thirsty, like us, Marion half asked as she quickly moved behind Indy holding him tight. "Marion you have to give me some room honey if I'm to..." Indy couldn't finish, the jackal that had their attention started to stalk forward, when Marion noticed movement to their left, she pointed, "Indy look out!" Indy reacted fast…so fast Marion was caught off guard. That crazy whip of his…she would never make fun of it again, over her it uncurled in the blink of an eye. It was fast, he was fast, but she was caught in the moment, frozen until it hit her. She was blinded by the bright light as Indy's elbow smashed into her nose. Marion went down but heard the whip whirr and move through the air. The cavern amplified the crack to the level of a gun, and immediately another crack. She looked up at him as he grabbed her and lifted her to her feet. Which tunnel she wondered, in the confusion, her adrenaline pumping. "GO! Indy yelled. Marion yelled back "what about the torch?" "Forget the torch" he chided through grit teeth, "RUN!" Two quick cracks of the whip and Indy was behind her yelling "wait up! Wait up!" "You can't have it both ways Jones," Marion retorted, panting. They stopped to listen, and Indy whispered, "They hunt in pairs and they looked hungry". "Is this our tunnel Jones?" Marion asked. Indy flicked his lighter and looked at the undisturbed sand and pebbles along the wall. "No", he said inspecting the ground. "Are you sure?" Marion asked not entirely convinced.

It's hard to tell with out enough light, but I'm pretty sure. "How can you tell?" Marion wondered to herself, but didn't realize she was wondering aloud. Indy turned to her in what was left of the faint flickering torchlight. Her eyes were intense and he started to explain about the weathering and waters effects on rock, the silt and pebble trails they left behind when he was interrupted by it! Marion had closed the gap, had grabbed him hard…over the shoulder and by the back of his neck so he couldn't pull away. And there they sat in an underground tunnel, trapped in a cave with wild dogs waiting for them at one end, her father beyond them, up a different tunnel, shielded by the desert heat they sat in the dark… kissing. Marion's assertiveness shocked Indy at first but it didn't matter. A million thoughts raced through his head and then he dropped the torch and pulled Marion closer. She loosened her grip and ran her fingers through the back of his hair. His dusty old fedora fell off and he didn't care, for an instant she broke the swirl and rush of blind emotion needlessly worrying about the stupid hat he thought made him look older. He wasn't THAT much older she told herself. Their lips slowly parted, their hearts not racing but beating faster, that swirl draining from their heads, slowly settling in their chests. Indy and Marion opened their eyes. They opened their eyes but could see no better then before. The torch had gone out and it took a few moments for them to break the daze and realize where they were again. Indy, realizing Marion couldn't see him either, smiled…he was protected by the dark and didn't need to hide his feelings. For once he could be free to wear it on his face, and that he did. He marveled at Marion's' softness, her assertiveness, she knew what she wanted and so did he. Thoughts of his youth rushed into his head and he thought of the first crush he had. His third grade teacher. He used to make fun of his classmates with kissy noises when they would spend too much time talking to the girls in class, but that was different. He didn't seem to care what anyone thought…until he had been assertive and picked flowers for her on the way to school. It worked out as he would remember because when she saw his classmates ruthlessly dissect him she made a point to interrupt them all and praise him in front of the other children capping it all off with a kiss. It was on the cheek mind you, but because of her long flowing auburn hair, he was the only one who knew it. The kiss and its location was the topic of many conversations throughout the rest of the school year and the summer. An experience he would never forget…much like this one, Indy considered.

Marion struck a match and Indy was caught off guard, she saw his expression and how it changed. She was not disappointed. It was as if he had reverted to a much younger man stammering and stumbling to find words. She did not turn hard or put him on his heels, she simply left him off the hook and asked, "Where is that torch?"

Indy would appreciate this later but he took the door she gave him and clicked open his own lighter. Marion muffled an "OUCH" as her match burned down, and the top of her finger. Indy's lighter burst through the darkness, much brighter and he saw Marion kissing her burnt finger and shifting her eyes to him. She was more of a woman then most of the girls he had graduated with. Some of whom had taken Abner's class because, quite frankly, when in the classroom he struck a remarkably different impression then he did in his field work. He conducted himself as an approachable man, the classic mentor, a teacher not of words in books but of life and death. He was a teacher who had an off handed way of making things understandable. This passion as it were, would often be mistaken by young impressionable female students, and as far as Indy knew, was never indulged. Indy spent quite a bit of time talking these underclasswomen out of what he would term "wishful thinking" and others out of a tree!

But Marion was more; Indy captured her image right then and there in his mind. She was beautiful, not merely pretty. Marion expressed so much in her looks…watch out if you forced her to come out and say something. This was not the way of youth, she was not a dependant and anything you might have mistaken as a complaint was a challenge for you to come up with a better solution then one that was swimming in her head already. She had an understanding and innocence, she was still full of optimism and the path of her life was not laid out before her…the future was limitless, still. Indy wasn't so far removed from these emotions that Marion's passion wasn't contagious. They already had so many years behind them. Like her father she had an alluring balance to her.

Indy smiled and turned to find his hat, at his side…never too far away he thought. The torch was next, and as he lit it, Marion's expression darkened… "Jones! You're bleeding!"

Marion reached out to inspect his face, there was a blood smear under his nose and starting across his cheek. Indy, in the brighter light interrupted Marion's emerging nurture instinct and repeated her name… "Marion, MARION, WAIT! Marion stop!". "What the hell Jones!?!" Marion gasped. "It's YOUR blood Marion." Indy must not have hit her too hard, she had forgotten about getting popped in the nose. "What are you talking about?!" Marion asked, confused. "Marion I guess I gave you a bloody nose back in the chamber, and you just gave me one back." Indy chuckled. Marion wiped her nose… "not too bad, doesn't hurt anymore." Then excitedly and to Indy, uncharacteristically vain, Marion almost pleading with him… "is it swollen?" Indy softly replied, "you're perfect." Then stammering, "It's perfect, perfectly fine…it looks ok, alright?" Indy said as though he were being cross examined. Marion smiled and joked with Indy, my father is NOT going to be happy! Indy looked at her to finish the sentence, but she left him hanging…twisting in the wind…until he tried to respond, "when he hears you hit me…" Indy smiled wiping her blood off his face, "let's just hope I don't look like I'm wearing lipstick! Come on let's go!"

Indy turned and started back down the tunnel, torch in one hand, Marion's hand in the other. "I think he likes you," Marion said. "Who?" Indy asked. "Abner, I think he likes you more than just a teaching assistant." Indy shot her a look over his shoulder and countered, "I think he TRUSTS me". "Well, I don't" Marion said smugly, and Indy replied staring off into the dark, "neither do I." He didn't see her expression soften into a smile, but she adjusted her hand inside of Indy's. "Right now we need to get back and see if he's ok, dogs won't attack unless they're in greater numbers…we were lucky to be two on two, let's hope they haven't found the old man!" With that sentiment Marion's heart dropped and she resolved herself to get back to her father. "He has a gun," Marion reassured herself out loud. "Let's hope the noise will do, like the whip, you know what kind of aim he has!" Marion didn't like anyone speaking ill of her father, but she quickly knew that Indy was not making fun…just speaking plainly!

The light of the main chamber was not well received. The dogs were still there, though now with a few more friends. Marion noticed in the shadows, smaller figures and forgot her fear, not realizing she was thinking out loud again… "Pups!"

Though Marion did not gush "Pups!" like some fawning child made no difference. Like the whip, the cavern amplified everything. Indy looked down at Marion and scowled, and looked back at the pack. The only positive was that the sound echoed from EVERY DIRECTION and the dogs scattered into the shadows. Indy's faced lightened as he realized this might be a good break after all! He tugged at Marion and pulled her low along the wall, in and out of the shadows towards the next tunnel. "We're not taking one home sweetheart, so get it out of your head right now!" Indy gruffly told her as they paused in a shadow for a moment. They were a few feet from the tunnel when slowly from the shadow emerged a snarling jackal. Indy had already handed Marion the torch and was fishing his hand in the old tool pouch he carried around. Indy told her "it'll work as a club if what I have in mind doesn't work." Marion screwed down her fear, she knew well enough an animal could feel it and it would be bad news for everyone if she didn't…but couldn't hide the waver in her voice as she asked Indy, "if WHAT doesn't work?" Indy stopped, looked at her and said it again, "trust me". Somehow that didn't help but at least Marion was ready for the worst. Indy had something in his hand that was making a dull but hollow metal popping sound. The snarling dog turned and tilted it's head at the strange noise, not deterred from his prey. "Get ready to run," Indy said, "and hold onto that torch tight!"

As Indy unsnapped his whip, he spoke right to the mangy dog, "you're going to have to teach your young to hunt another day!" With that, Indy snapped his lighter under the front of the torch and the lighter fluid he poured on the end flashed up startling Marion as much as the Dogs! Indy used the opportunity to lash out and caught the most brazen of the pack across his snout. The whip cracked with a steady one two cadence and Marion brought the torch down on one dodging the whip. The cavern was the site of sounds and fury never seen or heard before. Indy caught another jackal on it's hind end which caused so much panic and puzzlement, the animals thought Indy and Marion were not alone. They scattered and this time Marion grabbed Indy and said "come on, this is the one…if you're right about the silt."

As they started up the tunnel, Marion pulled Indy to a stop. "Marion! What the hell are you… "Christ Jones, maybe next time you could tell me when you're going to turn me into the Statue of Liberty!".. "Well don't let it go to waste…RUN!" Marion turned away planted the torch in the ground and said "Jones give me your oil can!" Indy looked puzzled and ragged but blindly reached into his bag and handed Marion the spare lighter fluid he kept. As she put more on the edge of the torch Indy chided her, "Marion, we're going to need that!".. "That was a good idea Jones, trust me…" she chided back. Indy pointed past Marion and yelled… "they're coming back." But Marion saw it was only the one, the leader and she wasn't scared any more, she simply said, "come on Jones…"

Marion stood defiant and the monster bared its teeth and lunged at Marion. Marion lit another one of her matches and tossed it down on the soaked torch. The Fireball, made Marion appear taller it seemed, and foreboding. For a moment anyway, the heat surprised even her, knocking her back into Indy's arms. It was too late for the jackal. The ratty dried out fur was kindling it's dry skin and it let out a hideous shriek and howl as it was caught right in the ignition. It ran back down the tunnel casting an eerie light leaving a nasty smell.

Marion looked up sheepishly at Jones and he returned the smile, which turned to alarm. Indy started smacking Marion's arms and legs. She was able to get out "first a bloody nose…now," before Indy interrupted, "you're on fire!" Indy was able to get some sand onto her but not before her clothes took a beating. "Are you ok?" Indy asked as he helped Marion up. "Yeah, I think so, how do I look?" Marion replied. Indy's concern melted into a look of amusement as he fully saw the condition she was in. "Better than you smell" he said. She smacked him on the shoulder and said "hey, that's not me!"…"That was pretty stupid Marion, you could have gotten yourself killed!" Indy chided. Marion said, "yeah but it worked, and I'm no worse for the wear, right?"  
Indy picked up the torch, turned to her and said "don't expect anymore kisses till your eyebrows grow back!"… "WHAT?!?" Marion screamed, frantically feeling her face. Indy chuckled and started back up the passage. As she felt them to her satisfaction she yelled, "Jones!" and ran to catch him. He stopped, turned with a serious face that stopped her in her tracks, he grabbed her by the waist pulled her close and he kissed her, long and lovingly. She was caught completely by surprise…tensed but quickly loosened. "You are something!" He said. Marion smiled and never felt so happy and beat up at the same time. Indy broke her daydream saying, "boy your father is going to be…" But Marion interrupted and said, "Happy I'm alive." She thought of her father and almost unconsciously started off about him. "Abner always says there's knowing something, and then there's understanding it." I've done all my thinking, all my wondering, too much wondering. I'm tired of knowing what other people have done, of preparing. It's time I understand some of these things…" Indy interrupted, "Marion, you are. Look where you are, what you're doing. Are you hanging around at the movies? Sneaking your parents booze and cigarettes?" Marion interrupted, "unfortunately for me, boys my age are thinking Babe Ruth, Gangsters or getting girls to…" She stopped, peered at Indy and continued, "it's not love." They know about girls, just don't understand them, or care to. I love baseball too, but it doesn't occupy the majority of my thought, especially when I'm not at the ball field! I'm not obsessed with love but…Indy who was your first love?" Indy coughed, "school honey, just like you. It comes from having teachers as parents I guess, but I've always gotten to know that whoever she was, she just wasn't for me. Not for the long run anyway. That's if they have didn't figure it out first!"


End file.
